Celebrated stand-up comedian, lyricist, and writer Varun Grover has stepped into filmmaking with his debut short film KISS, which is now available to stream on MUBI, the global platform for curated world cinema. Taking to social media, Grover shared a heartfelt and detailed post about the journey of his first directorial project: “My first film as a director — a film that will always be my most cherished dream coming true — is finally out on the coolest world cinema portal @mubiindia / @mubi. Dekh lena aur bataana kaisi lagi.”
Grover went on to recount the film’s unique origins, rooted in comedy and inspired by a real-world incident of censorship in Indian cinema: “KISS started as a standup bit (2nd pic in this grid was the news that triggered it) that became a short script during covid. We shot it between covid waves in 2021 and traveled to some of the coolest festivals in 2022 (including to @iffklive, @bisffblr) and having a final bow at @IFFR in 2025.”
The incident he refers to is a 2015 report of the CBFC asking for intimate scenes to be cut from the James Bond film Spectre, sparking a national debate on cinematic censorship—an issue that KISS cleverly explores. Acknowledging the people behind the project, Grover continued with gratitude and pride:
“This long, wholesome journey would not have been possible without the coolest producers @NewtonCinema (@antochittilappilly, @schittil) and ODD and EVEN. And then a dream team of the best filmmakers in town starting with DOP Sylvester Fonseca, Production Designer Kazvin Dangor, Editor Nitin Baid, Costume Designer Shruti Kapoor, Casting Director Anmol Ahuja, Sound Designers Sanjay Maurya and Allwin Rego, Composers Mayukh and Mainak, Font Designer Kimya Gandhi, Colorist Mahak Gupta, and Poster Designers @ankitkapoor96 and Allen Shaw.”
He also gave a special mention to his cast and personal support system: “And the terrific cast comprising of @_GouravAdarsh, @swanandkirkire, Shubhrajyoti Barat, Ashwath Bhatt, Chetan Sharma, and Mihir Ahuja (in a special appearance.) Also huge thanks to the lovely team at Liberty Cinema, Mumbai — that made the shoot such a breezy experience. And finally my life partner Raj Kumari who provided critical feedback, clarity, and love at every juncture through this long journey.”
Now live on MUBI, KISS is more than just a short film—it's a deeply personal and satirical take on censorship, identity, and intimacy in modern India. Grover’s transition from sharp-witted comedian to thoughtful filmmaker has officially—and impressively—begun.
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